Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-07-16
JESS.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
Author of "King Solomon's Nine" Etc.

heard they are there. It Il nice place, that
Mooifontein, and I think that I shall buy it
when we have turned all you English people
out OF the land. Frank Muller told me that
they were there. And now I must be getting
on, or that devil of a man, Frank Muller,
will want to know what I have been about"
"Om Coetzee," said jess, twill you do some
thing for mea We are old friends, you
know, and l once persuaded my uncle to
lend you $500 when all your oxen died of the
lungsick."
ayes, yes, it shall be paid back one day
when we have got the id Englishmen out
Of the country" And he began to gather un
his reins preparatory to riding off.
"Will you do me a favor?n said Jess. catch
ing the pony by the bride.
"What is its What is it, missiea 1 must
be getting on. That devil of a man, Frank
Muller, is waiting for me with the prisoners
ut the Rooihuis Kraal."
Il want q pass for myself and Capt. Mel,
and On escort. We want to get down home,n
The old Boer held up his fat hands in
amazenlent.
"Almigbty!n he said, "t is impossible. A
pass-who ever heard of such a thing! Come.
must be going"
ut is not impossible, Uncle Coetzee, as Won
NAc"S SoAu OSSS. LLSGcU. IL ! Q0G C00C
pass l will speak to my uncle about the e5OO.
Perhaps he would not want it all back again.
"Ah" said the Boer. "Well, we are old
friends, missile, and never desert a friend,
that is my saying. Almighty! 1 will ride a
hundred miles-I will swim through blood for
u friend. Well. well, l will see. It will de-
pend upon that devil of q man, Frank Muller.
Where arc you to be found-in the white
house yonder? Good. Tomorrow the escort
will come in with the prisoners, and if 1 can
get it they will bring the pass. But, missile,
remember the $500. If you do not speak to
your uncle about that I shall be even with
him. Almighty! what a thing it is to have q
good heart and to love to help your friends!
Well, good day, good day" and OFF he can
tered on his fat pony, his broad face shining
with a look of unutterable h%enevolence.
jess cast a look of contempt after hin and
then went on toward the camp to fetch the
rations.
When she got back to "The Palatial" she
told John what had taken place, and sue-
gested that it would he as well, in case there
should be a favorable reply to her request, to
have everything prepared for a start, and &C
cordingly the cart was brought DOWN and stood
outside "The Palatial," and John unscrewed
the patent caps and filed them with castor
oil, and ordered Mouti to keep the horses,
which were all well, though "poor' from want
of proper food, well within hail.
Meanwhile, old Hans pursued the ierky
tenor of his way for an hour or SO, till be
came in sight Of a small red house
Presently, from the shadow in front of the
red house emerged q horseman, mounted on
powerful black horse. Tho horsemnn-a
stern, handsome, bearded man-put his hand
ahO1f hiS avoc fn cl,,3o chow Coco y
and gazed up tho road. Then he seemed to
suddenly strike his spurs into the horse. for
tho animal gavo a sudden bound forward, and
came sweeping towards Hans at a hand
gallop.
All it is that devil of a man, Frank Null
lerI' calculated Hans. "Now 1 wonder what
he wantss always feel cold down the back
when hc comes near me-"
BY this time the plunging black horse was
being reined up alongside Of his pony so
sharply that it reared till its great boots were
paving tho dir within a few inches of Hans,
head.
almighty" said the old man, Juggling his
pony round. B careful, nephew, be care
full! l do not wish to be crushed like q
beetle"
Frank Muller-for it was he-smilcd. He
bad made his horse rear purposely, in order
to brighten the old man, whom he knew to be
an arrant coward.
"Why have You been SO longl and what
have you done with the Englishmen! You
should have been back half an hour ago.
sand so 1 should, nephew, and SO l should,
If l had not been detained. Surely you do
not suppose that I would linger in the &C.
cursed place? BAIL" and he spat upon the
ground, cit stinks Of Englishmen. l cannot
get the taste of them out of my mouth"
"Your are a liar, Uncle Coetzee," was the
cool answer. English with the English, Boer
with the Boer. You blow neither hot nor
cold. Be careful lest we show you UP. I
know you and your talk. Do you remember
what you were saying to tho Englishman
Mel in the inn yard at Wakkerstroom when
you turned and saw mea 1 heard, and l do
not forget. You know what happens to q
land betraycr!"
Hans teeth positively chartered, and. his
forid face blanched with fear.
"What do You mean, nephew2' he asked.
"1-ah!-1 mean nothing. was only
speaking a word of warning to you as O
friend. l have heard things said about you
by"-and he dropped his voice and whispered
a name at the sound Of which poor Hans
turned whittier than ever.
wal, "euu vi II lOIlueuLOT, Wlen ne
had sufficiently enjoyed bis terror, what
sort of terms did you make in Pretoriar
Oh good, nephew, good" he gabbled, de-
lighted to get On a fresh subject. II found
the Englishmen supple as a tanned skin.
They will give up their twelve prisoners for
our four. The men are to DO in by 10 to-mor-
row. told their commandant about Laing's
Mex and Ingogo, and he would not believe
me. He thought I lied like himself. Thew
are getting hungry there nov. l saw a
Hottentot l knew there, and he told me that
their bones were beginning to show"
"They will DO through the skin before long,n
muttered Frank. swell, here we are at the
house. Tho general is there. He has Just
come up from Heidelberg, and you can make
your report to him. Did you find out about
the Englshman-Capt. Niela Is it true that
he is deadl'
"No, he is not dead. By the way, I met
ON Croft's niece-the dark one. She is shut
up there with the captain, and she begged me
to try and get them q pass to 60 home. OF
course l told her that it was nonsense, and
that they must stop and starve with the
Others"
Muller, who had been listening to this last
piece of information with intense interest,
suddenly checked his horse and answered.:
ibid youa Then you are q bigger fool than
I thought you. Who gave you authority to
decide whether they should have a pass or
mott"
CHAPTER Xxx.
THE GREAT NAN.
Completely overcome by his last remark,
Hans collapsed like a jelly fish out of water,
l.